The Board of Trustees of Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District (FRC) is proud to announce the opening and staffing of Fire Station #3 located at 34W500 Carl Lee Dr. This station replaces a temporary facility. The planning and construction process began almost 2 years ago in order to better serve the residents located on the east side of the district including Valley View, Fox River Estates, the Village of Wayne, and areas west of the Fox River.

Your new station began operation on February 27 and is fully staffed with firefighter/paramedics. The 15,000 sq/ft. facility was constructed for $2,500,000. Fire apparatus includes an engine, a water tender, an Advance Life Support (ALS) ambulance, a rescue boat, and various support vehicles and equipment. An area in the station has been designated for housing of MABAS equipment to meet specialty rescue and EMS needs. The district will be hosting a formal open house in the early spring once landscaping and outside work is completed.

The opening of this station is the second phase of a comprehensive plan to meet district fire and EMS needs. The third phase will involve construction and staffing of Station#2, to be located at Crane & Bolcum Rds. The timeline for this phase will be dependent on the availability of funding for the facility, apparatus, and personnel required.

FRC has recently become a Registered Agency with the Commission of Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). This is the first step in achieving accreditation. During an extensive process, ten critical areas of department operations will be evaluated against standards and best practices. Continued high levels of operational, administrative, and fiscal actions result from this process. One of the first steps will consist of evaluation and development of a Standard of Cover. This process identifies current community risks against resources available. Each department has differing risks requiring differing resources. More on the accreditation process will appear in future newsletters.

The Daily Herald has an article about the pursuit of a third station for the Fox River & Countryside Fire Rescue District.

Construction on a new Station No. 3 that actually sits within the coverage area of the Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District might begin by the end of the year if the permitting process continues to find the same success with Kane County officials it did Wednesday.

Fire district trustees brought the plans to county board members for the first time. Fire District officials approved a $150,000 purchase of 2.2 acres of land at 6N330 Route 25 near St. Charles in February. The district purchased the land as is from a bank following a $654,000 judgment against the former owner.

If approved by the full county board, the district will abandon the space it rents in South Elgin for Station No. 3. The entire station would move to the Route 25 location and have access off Carl Lee Road. The location is in the middle of the area with the largest concentration of calls for Station No. 3, unincorporated Valley View, fire officials said.

The county board’s Development Committee gave an initial approval to the plans Wednesday after learning the station has the support of the neighboring subdivision, several local homeowner associations and the Village of Wayne.

The station would also make frequent use of both the Stearns Road Bridge, completed in December 2010 by the county, and the Red Gate Bridge, completed in August 2011 by St. Charles. In fact, fire district attorney Ken Shepro said the new Station No. 3 will be closer to St. Charles North High School than any of the city’s existing fire stations.

City officials initially fought against the formation of the new fire district, but Shepro said the new station may be a chance for an armistice.

The plans still need approval from the full county board before the district can move toward construction.

Here are some pictures of Fox River and Countryside Fire Protection District. They had a two story, wood frame, vacant house approximately 80 x 30. Tenders from West Chicago, Bartlett, St. Charles, Pingree Grove, South Elgin, and Fox River and Countryside. Photos taken by Matt Tessler.

Bill Friedrich submitted images of the Fox River & Countryside Fire Rescue District apparatus that has been missing from the site. Included are the shift commander buggy, two utilities, and the long awaited 1993 X-Bartlett Seagrave with the new paint job. (it’s third life-time color scheme)

Engine 1821 is the front-line engine out of Station 3. Bill Friedrich photo

1993 Seagrave engine as painted for the Bartlett Fire District prior to being sold to the Fox River and Countryside Fire Rescue District. Larry Shapiro photo

When the Seagrave was repainted black over red to reflect a changeover in the apparatus fleet, it was in service as Engine 662. The new lettering no longer included "Countryside" as part of the district's name. Larry Shapiro photo

The Seagrave was originally Engine 612 when it was delivered in 1993. At that time, the entire Bartlett fleet was painted yellow and the lettering displayed Bartlett & Countryside Fire protection District. Larry Shapiro collection